John,
In a democracy, the military serves the people. In a dictatorship, it serves the leader.
Donald Trump wants to mark his birthday with a full-blown military parade -- tanks in the streets, missiles on display, and soldiers marching in lockstep. This isn’t about honoring our troops. It’s about glorifying himself.
Yes, June 14 is the anniversary of the founding of the U.S. Army -- but it also happens to be Donald Trump’s birthday, and there’s no mistaking which of those he wants the nation to celebrate. If this were truly a patriotic event, it might happen on Veterans Day, Memorial Day, or the 4th of July. Instead, Trump is using the military not to honor the country, but to spotlight his own power -- just as autocrats do.
That’s not how democracy works.
In dictatorships, the military is a tool of personal control -- used to intimidate, impress, and elevate the leader above the people. In a democracy, the military serves the Constitution, not a person. Our service members swear an oath to defend the nation, not to parade for a politician’s ego.
That’s why Rep. Steve Cohen has introduced the HAPPY BIRTHDAY Budget Act -- legislation to block taxpayer funds from being used on presidential birthday parades. Congress controls the purse strings, and it must act now to stop this authoritarian-style spectacle before it starts.
Send a direct message to Congress: Pass the HAPPY BIRTHDAY Budget Act and say no to Trump’s parade and any other military parade on American streets now.
Trump, a man who dodged the draft and insulted veterans as “suckers” and “losers,” wants to spend our taxpayer dollars on a show of personal power. All while proposing cuts to veterans' benefits.
The HAPPY BIRTHDAY acronym may be lighthearted -- Halting All Parades for Presidents’ Yearly Birthdays; It Risks Taxpayer Harm, Damages, And Your Budget -- but the stakes are serious.
We’ve stopped Trump’s parade before. In 2018, public outcry forced Trump to cancel a planned Veterans Day parade. We can stop this one too. And in doing so, send a powerful message: In America, our troops serve the people, not a would-be strongman.
Tell Congress: No taxpayer-funded birthday parades. No military as political theater.
Thank you for protecting the dignity of those who serve -- and the democracy they defend.
- DFA AF Team
